Elevator signaling apparatus



A ril 17, 1934. c. NORTON mm. 1,955,388

ELEVATOR SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed April 11, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ATTORNEY5 April 17, 1934. C, NORTON ET AL 1,955,388

ELEVATOR S IGNALING APPARATUS Filed April ll, 1929 4 ShebS-Sheet 4 INVENTORS B We 024 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES ELEVATOR SIGNALING APPARATUS Clifford Norton, South Karmel, New York,

Orange, N. J., and Philip N. Y., assignors to Otis Elevator Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 11,

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in elevator signaling or controlling apparatus, the invention being designed primarly for use with high speed elevators to give an accurate signal to the operator for indicating at which floors he is to stop.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of signaling equipment by which graduated signaling zones for each elevator car are obtained, together with appropriate mechanisms so correlated with the operation of the elevator that each portion of the signaling equipment most nearly suited to a given condition of elevator operation is rendered effective to complete signaling circuits for the car when the car is operating under the corresponding given conditions. The invention contemplates giving a signal to the operator of a car that he is to stop his car at a floor. and giving him such signal at different distances from such floor. Such distances are made dependent upon the distance required to stop the car from the different speeds attained by the car in making difierent lengths of runs. For exan'lple, in making a one floor run, it is advantageous to give the signal when the car is at the preceding floor; in making a two floor run the car may be accelerated to a higher speed and the signal given before the car reaches the door preceding the floor at which the stop is to be made; and in longer runs the signal may be given at still greater distance from the floor at which a stop is to be made.

These and other objects will appear more fully from the following description when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of my invention showing the same applied to a. seven-floor building.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of one side of the commutator machine, parts being in section and parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the other side of the commutator machine.

Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view of the commutator machine or selector, which may be employed in connection with my invention.

5 a detail view of the elevator car gate employed for controlling the hall button-set restoring mechanisms, and

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the signal setting relay employed herein.

With present day elevator apparatus the elevators travel at such speed that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to afford the operator of the machine anaccurate signal as to when he 1929, Serial No. 354,212

is to stop at a landing in response to a signal given by a waiting passenger. This difficulty is overcome in the present invention by employing in effect a number of separate ccmmutators or selector units, any one of which is made effective to complete the signal, the units selected and rendered operative being dependent upon the speed of operation of the car or on the condition of some other elevator mechanism actuated with or in response to the elevator hoisting mecha nism.

The present invention is shown as applied to signaling systems controlled from hall pushbuttons and also controlled from pushbuttons arranged in the car so that an operator is notifled to stop at a floor either from the actuation of the hall pushbutton or from the actuation of his own pushbutton in the car. It will be understood that either or both of these sets of pushbuttons may be employed. The signal in the car for informing the operator of the car is shown controlled from the pushbutton-set mechanism whereas the signals for the intending passengers, in other words, the hall lanterns, are automatically lighted whenever the car stops at or near a floor without reference to'the actuation of any pushbutton. It will be understood that the sig nals at the floors can be connected up to the pushbutton-set mechanism in parallel with the car signals to be energized through the same devices which energize the car signals.

In the present embodiment of the invention we have shown a number of complete commutator units 10, l1, l2, l3, l4, l5, 16, 17 and 18 each formed with a feed strip 16a, 11a, etc., a series of floor segments 10b, 11b, 121), etc., engaged by the selector brushes on the up movement of the elevator and a series of similar floor segments 10c, 11c, 120, etc., operative during down movement of the car. These units are arranged on opposite sides of the commutator machine as shown particularly in Fig. 4 and are divided so that the units 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are on the right-hand side of the commutator machine as viewed in Fig. 4, and the remaining units l5, 16, 1'7 and 18 are on the left-hand side of the machine.

Of the units 10 to 13 unit 10 is employed to restore the hall button-set mechanism to its inoperative condition. The units 11, 12 and 13 are employed to complete the signal circuits at the selector where the same have been previously set by any of the hall or landing pushbuttons, the unit 11 being employed for slow speed or stationary elevators, the unit 12 for elevators which have a medium speed and which require a portion of two floors in which to stop the elevator, the unit 13 being used for high speed of the elevator. The unit 14 supplies curren to the hall lanterns and in the present embodiment of the invention is independent of the actuation of any pushbutton. The unit 1.5 operates to restore the elevator button-set devices in succession. The units 16, 17 and 18 are similar to the units 13, 12, and 11 respectively, the l6, l7 and 18 being employed respectively for high speed, medium speed and slow speed elevator travel to complete the signal circuits which have been set by the elevator button-set mechanism.

The function of the commutator machine in general is well understood in the art, the same including a screw shaft 29 or other driving mechanism moved correspondingly with the elevator hoisting drum, for example, carrying a traveler shown as a nut 22 forwardly or rearwardly along the rows of segments during elevator travel in one direction or other. The nut 22 includes yoke-shaped arms and 22b pivotally attached to the yoke-shaped brush carriers 24 and 26 as by means of rods 23.

The nut 22 is provided with a friction device comprising a spring-pressed plunger 28 which causes the nut 22 rock with the screw shaft to the limit of its rocking movement as determined by the arm 22c carried by the nut and arranged in a U-shaped guide 39 whereby the rocking movement of the nut 22 is limited to movements sufficient only to permit the brushes carried by the commutator to move into position to engage either the up segments or the down segments dependent upon the dir ction of travel of the elevator. In view of the number of brushes employed herein and the len th of the brush carriers 24 and the upper portions of these yokes are preferably joined by the arms 32a of a supporting yoke 32 movably supported upon a longitudinal supporting rod 34 extending throughout the length of the commutator machine. The arms 32athus partially support the brush holders and brushes and maintain the upper portions of the brush carriers in their required vertical positions.

The commutator br .shes 36. 360. and 37, 370. are arranged in pairs, the brushes 36 and 37, at each selector unit, engaging the feed as 15a, 16a, etc., for both directions of travel. The brushes 36a engage successively with the up floor segments 10?), 1119, etc., during the upward travel of the car, the brushes 37a similarly engaging the down rows of segments 10c, 110, etc, during the downward travel of the car. Each pair of brushes as 36, 36a is connected by a conductor 38. Spring members -10 may be utilized for maintaining the conductors 33 in engagement with the brushes and the brushes extended outwardly for engageis mounted in separate Each pair of brushes and 4 supported upon insulating supports 42 the rods 46 arranged on tr: 26. Each unit of the select 1' of rods 46 for supporting the two corresponding supports 42 and 44, each :lCh support being longitudinally adjustable along the rods 46 and held in any set position thereon as by means of the set screws 48. It will be understood that one pair of brushes 36 and 36a is employed at each unit for the up direction and constructed to bridge from the central feed strip of any unit to the up segments of that unit, the other pair of brushes 37 and 370; being utilized for the down direction of movement capable of bridging from thus has two pairs the feed strip to the down segments during the downward travel of the car. During the upward travel of the elevator the down brushes 3'7 and 37a both ride on the feed strips of the various units and similarly the up brushes 36 and 36a ride on the feed strips during down movement of the elevator. The commutator parts are shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 in the positions the parts assume during the upward travel of the elevator.

The segments of the selector are arranged upon a suitable supporting frame and include the various floor segments 3U, 4U, 5U, 2D, 3D, 4D, etc, corresponding to the third floor up, fourth floor up, fifth floor up, second floor down, third floor down and fourth floor down. These segments are formed as sections of conducting material adjustably secured to the commutator frame 51 as by means the retaining lugs and bolts 52 for securing the floor segments to the insulatin members 54 which extend longitudinally of the commutator machine. The bolts 52 may be extended as indicated at 5211 to form the terminals for the attachment of the conducting lines leading the various signals, contacts and the like. The conducting segments 3U, 4U, 5U, etc., are shown as separated by sections of insulating material 56 so as to avoid bridging over from one conducting segment to another and to limit the time of travel of the elevator during which the signal is given, the exposed faces of the conducting segments and insulating blocks presenting a smooth surface for engagement by the traveling brushes.

The particular arrangement of the brushes with respect to the floor segments and feed strips over which they pass is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 wherein we have illustrated all of the floor segments and brushes required for a seven-floor building. As stated above the brush holders and brushes are shifted vertically on reversal of direction of movement of the elevator with the result that a pair of brushes for each selector unit is in position to bridge from the feed strip to the up segments during up travel of the elevator and during down travel to bridge from the feed strip to the down segments successively. The up segments 15b. 161). etc... in Fi 3 are accordingly shown as beneath the feed strips 15a, 16a, etc., whereas in Fig. 2 the rows of up segments 10b, 11b, etc, are above the corresponding feed strips 10a, 11a, etc. The necessity for this arrangement will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 4.

The signals within each of the cars are shown as including two audible signals 58 and 59 and two visible si nals 60 and 61. It is preferred to use either or both of the left-hand signals 58 and 60 and also either or both of the right-hand signals 59 and 61 in order to indicate whether the signal is given as a result of the operation of the operators button or the hall button. The signals 58 and 60 are shown as operated by actuation of the hall pushbutton and the signals 59 and 61 from the operators buttons. A normally closed switch 112 is arranged in the circuit to the signal 58, 60 so that the operator may avoid receiving any hall button signals.

The hall lanterns are shown as usual electrically actuated lights including down signal lights 62 and up signal lights 64 with one of each at each floor excepting the top and bottom floors which obviously require only one light as shown.

Provision is made for signaling an elevator from the hall as by means of the usual push buttons 66 and 6'7 employed for up and down traveling elevators respectively, there being one pair of such buttons at each landing as in the usual constructions.

The hall buttons 66 and 6'7 are each'connected with the source of power 14V., the pushbuttons being employed to close the circuits as by means of conductors 68 to the hall button-set mechanism indicated generally at '70. This mechanism includes one complete relay and set of contacts for each pushbutton, that is, in the usual system two relays for each floor. Each relay is formed with a setting coil '71 and a restoring coil '72 operative respectively to close and open the circuit across the conducting members 74 and '75. Each of the relay units '71, '72 (Fig. 6)

is provided with a plunger '76, each plunger having a magnetic portion '77 by means of which the plunger is raised or lowered through actuation of coil '71 or coil '72. The magnetic portion of the plunger is preferably formed with one or more longitudinally extending recesses 77a, two such recesses arranged at right angles being preferred, the recesses serving to prevent eddy currents forming in the core. The plunger includes also an insulating portion '78, the latter carrying a conducting portion 79 having a slight con.- cavity therein so that when the contacts '74 and '75 drop into engagement with the conducting portion '79 of the plunger, the plunger will be maintained in its elevated position by friction and by the slight depression of the conducting material '79. Suitable stops limit the upward and downward movement of the plunger.

The contacts 74 are connected with the source of power 110V. for supplying current to the relays. The contact members of the pushbutton-set mechanisms are each connected in parallel to a corresponding floor segment of each of the selector units 11, 12 and 13. Taking for example the 4D relay connected with the fourth floor down hall button, it will be observed that the right-hand contact '74 of this relay connects with the source 110V. and that the left-hand contact member '75 connects by means of conductors 80 and 81 to a point from which the three parallel branches 82, 83 and 84 lead respectively to the 4D segment of the units 11, 12 and 13. It will thus be seen that each set of contacts '74, '75 of the hall pushbutton-set mechanism '70 connects in parallel with a corresponding segment of each of the selector units 11, 12 and 13 so that the one pushbutton-set mechanism is capable of producing a signal through closing of the circuit at any of the units 11, 12 and 13.

Since this system is arranged to complete a signal to any one of a number of elevators the contact terminals of the hall pushbutton--set mechanism '70 connect with the selector segments of the different elevators. The conductors leading from the terminals '75 of the relays '71, '72 are accordingly formed with parallel connections connected to the corresponding segments of the other elevator selectors, the connection for the 4D relay being indicated at 81a. It is believed unnecessary to show the duplicate selectors of the other elevators of the bank.

Since it is necessary to stop the elevator at the top and bottom floors regardless of the actuation of the pushbuttons, the last conducting floor segment of the series of up segments 11b, 12b and 137) are connected directly with the source of power 110V. and similarly the last of the down floor segments 11c, 12c and 130 are connected to the source 1l0V., thus completing the signal at any time these segments. are bridged over to the corresponding feed strip provided the conditions set forth below are present. A signal is thus completed automatically through one of the selector units 11, 12 or 13 as the elevator approaches either terminal floor.

As stated above the unit 11 is for use during slow speed elevator travel, consequently the row of segments 11b of this unit begins with a segment for the second floor up and includes a segment for each of the floors in succession. The down strip 110 likewise starts with the sixth floor down segment and terminates in the 110V. segment corresponding to the first floor. Since the unit 12 is to be made operable only on intermediate elevator speeds it is not possible to signal the elevator to stop at the second floor going up nor the sixth floor going down, hence the second floor up segment and the sixth floor down segment are omitted. Likewise in the unit 13 the second and third floor up and sixth and fifth floor down segments are omitted as having no function in this apparatus.

Since the segments of all the units 11, 12 and 13 are bridged successively by the brushes of the selector for the corresponding direction of movement it is necessary to distinguish between the units 11, 12 and 13 so that any one of these may be used for giving a signal. This may be accomplished by any type of mechanism operating to automatically and selectively supply current to the feed strip of any of the units 11, 12 or 13 depending on the speed of operation of the elevator.

As shown in the present embodiment of the invention there are employed two relay devices 86 and 88 connected with the opposite poles of the hoisting motor armature 90. The energization of the relay devices is, therefore, dependent upon the counter-electromotive force developed in the hoisting motor armature, which, in turn, is a function of the speed of the armature. The relay 86 is made more sensitive than the relay 88 so that when there is a relatively small counterelectromotive force across the motor armature 90, the plunger 92 of the relay 86 is elevated. When there is a relatively larger counter-electromotive force across the motor armature 90, the plunger 94 of the relay 88 is moved to its up position. The armatures of relays 86 and 88 are both in their down positions when the hoisting motor is idle or substantially so. The relay 86 is actuated when the counter-electromotive force is fairly small, representing a slow speed for the elevator, while the relay 88 is actuated when the counter electromotive force is near maximum, representing substantially full speed for the elevator.

The armature of relay 86 carries two upper conducting or switch members 96 and 98 and three lower conducting or switch members 100, 102 and 104, the upper switches being closed when the relay is energized and the lower switches being closed when the relay is deenergized. The armature 94 of relay 88 carries the upper conductors 105 and 106 and the lower conductors 107 and 108, the two upper switches being closed when the relay is energized and the lower switches being closed when the relay is deenergized.

The relays 86 and 88 thus form the devices for automatically and selectively supplying current to the different units of the selector. To this end the feed strip 11a, of the selector unit 11 is connected by means of conductor 109 to the left-hand contact of switch 100. The other contact of switch 100 continues by way of conductor 111 to and through the signal devices 58, and the manual switch 112 in the car, then back to the source 110V. by way of conductor 114. The unit 11 is thus connected with the source of power and signals 58 and 60 only when the elevator is standing still or substantially so.

The feed strip 12a of the unit 12 is connected by means of conductor 116 to one of the switch contacts of switch 96, the other switch contact being connected by means of conductor 118 to the left-hand contact of switch 107. The righthand contact of switch 107 connects with the conductor 111 referred to above. The strip 12a of the unit 12 is thus rendered effective only when the relay 86 is energized and the relay 88 is deenergized, this condition representing the intermediate speed of travel of the elevator.

The feed strip 13a of the unit 13 is connected by means of conductor 120 to the right-hand contact of switch 105, the left-hand contact of this switch connecting with the conductor 111 referred to above. The feed strip 13a and unit 13 are thus rendered effective for completing the signal only when the relay 88 has been actuated and its armature elevated on substantially full speed of travel of the elevator.

The bottom or restoring coils 72 of the relay units of the pushbutton-set mechanism '70 are connected to the source of power 14V. by means of conductor 122 and to the corresponding segment of the restoring unit 10 of the selector by means of the individual conductors one of which, for the fourth floor down relay 4D, for example, is indicated at 124. The connection between each of the relay units 1U, 2U, 3U, etc., to the corresponding segments of the restoring unit 10 can be readily traced on Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be noted that the right-hand segment of the row of segments 10b is connected to the 7D relay and the left-hand segment of the row of segments 100 is connected to the 1U relay. The purpose of this is to permit the restoration of the seventh floor down relay prior to reversal of the direction of movement of the elevator and the consequent shifting of the selector brushes. Likewise the 1U relay may be restored prior to any substantial travel of the elevator in the reverse direction.

The one set of pushbutton-set relays is intended to control and restore the signal mechanism for any desired number of elevators having selectors of the type shown herein. Consequently each of the restoring coils 72 includes a branch connection as 124:! which extends to the corresponding segments of strips 10b and 100 of the other elevator selectors of the bank.

In order to prevent the restoration of any pushbutton-set mechanism unless the elevator responds to the signal given, the feed strip 10a of the restoring unit 10 is connected by means of conductor 126 to a switch 128 carried by the car 129. The other terminal of the switch 128 is connected by conductor 130 to the source of current supply 14V. The switch 128 is arranged to be controlled by the operator of the car to permit the restored circuits to be rendered effective or ineffective as desired. To this end the contacts of switch 128, as shown in Fig. 5, are arranged to be separated by an insulating plunger 132 connected by a suitable link to an operating lever 134 connected to be moved with the car gate 136. As shown the contacts of the switch 128 are maintained open by the plunger 132 at all times that the gate 136 is closed, the

' contacts of switch 128 being closed as soon as the gate 136 has been moved to a slight extent toward open position.

It is preferred to permit the operator of the elevator to set a signal from within the elevator to advise the operator as to when to stop the elevator to avoid the necessity of the operator remembering all of the floors which have been called by the passengers. To this end pushbuttons 138 are arranged within the car, one pushbutton for each floor 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the terminal landings being omitted since the elevator must stop in any event at these floors. The pushbuttons 138 are supplied with current from the soiu'ce of power 14V by way of conductor 140. Each pushbutton is connected to an upper or setting coil 144 of one of the relays forming the car button-set mechanism 142. Each relay 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, for the different floors is formed substantially the same as the relay disclosed in Fig. G, each including a setting coil 144 and a restoring coil 146 for moving the armature or plunger up to circuit closing position and down to open circuit position respectively. When the plunger is moved up to closing circuit position the contacts 148 and 149 of the corresponding relay are bridged and current is thereby conducted from the source of power 110V. by way of conductors 150,151, to the right-hand contact of all of the sets of contacts 148 and 14-9. The left-hand contact of each of these relays is connected to the corresponding up and down segments of strips 16b, 16c, 17?), 17c, 13?) and by means of the conductors as shown. For example, the fourth floor contact 14051 is connected by conductor 152 and the various parallel connections shown, to the 4D and 4U segments of the selector units 16, 17 and 18, these segments representing respectively fourth floor down and fourth floor up signals actuated by each unit.

The connection between the selector units 16, 17 and 18 and the si nal is by way of the switches controlled by relays 86 and 88 referred to above. For example, the selector unit 15 is intended for high speed operation. The feed strip 160. of this unit is accordingly connected by way of conductor 154 to the left-hand contact of switch 106 which switch, it will be recalled, is elevated to closed position only on high speed elevator operation. The righ -hand contact of switch 106 is connected by conductors 156 and 158, through the signals 59 and 61, and then by conductor 114 back to the other side of the line.

The unit 17 is employed for intermediate elevator speed. The feed strip 17a of this unit is thus connected by means of conductor 160 to the left-hand contact of switch 98. The righthand contact of this switch connects by conductor 162 to the left-hand contact of switch 108, the right-hand contact of this switch connecting directly with the conductor 1:38 referred to above. The unit 17 is thus made effective when the more sensitive relay 86 has been energized and the less sensitive relay 88 remains in its lower or unoperated condition.

The slow speed or one floor run unit 18 has the feed strip 18c thereof connected by conductor 164 to the left-hand contact of switch 102, the right-hand contact of this switch connecting with the conductor 158 leading to the signals in the car as described above. rendered effective for slow speed operation or stationary elevator only.

The restoring coils 146 of the car button-set mechanism 142 are controlled from the selector unit 15.

The feed for the coils 146 extends from 1'.

The unit 18 is thus tween the light and the selector segment.

feed strip 14a of the unit 14 is connected by means the source 14V. by way of conductors 166 and 167 to the lower portions of the coils as illustrated. The other terminals of the coils connect by conductors to the corresponding up and down segments of the rows of segments b and 150. One such connection is indicated at 168 connecting the fourth floor restoring coil with the 4U and 4D segments of unit 15. The circuits to the coils 146 are thus closed successively during elevator travel in either direction. The unit 15 is to operate uniformly to close the circuit to the coils 146, hence the feed strip 15a of the unit 15 is connected directly to the source of power 14V. by way of conductor 1'70. 7

The hall lanterns 62 and 64 are controlled directly by the speed of the car and the selector unit 14 to light the signal at the floor at which the elevator stops or reduces speed sumeiently to deenergize the magnet 86. To this end each of the hall lanterns for any one car is connected to its corresponding segment 2D, 3D, 3U, 4U, etc, representing respectively the second and third floors down and the third and fourth floors up so that there is always a direct connection be- The of conductor 172 to the left-hand contact of switch 104, the right-hand contact of this switch extending to and connecting with the conductor 150 leading to the source of power 110V. The position of the brushes on the unit 14 (Fig. 2) is such that the brush remains on the corresponding segment of the unit 14 during the time the elevator is standing at the landing. As soon as Y the elevator begins to pick up speed the relay 86 is actuated and the circuits from the unit 14 are thus maintained open. It will be understood that more than one brush may be employed in order to give a longer signal if desired or that the switch 104 may be associated with the relay 88 instead of 86 where it is desired to light the hall lanterns on a slight reduction of elevator speed from high speed. I

In the operation of the apparatus, when any pushbutton at a landing has been moved to circuit closing position, the corresponding relay of the hall pushbutton-set mechanism '70 is moved and maintained in circuit closed position. Dur ing travel of the elevator in the signaled direction the brushes of the different selector units 11,

' 12 and 13 move successively along the segments for the corresponding direction to bridge from the floor segments to the feed strips. If the elevator is traveling at high speed as it approaches the signaled floor a signal is given to the elevator operator through the unit 13 since the relays 86 and 88 are both in actuated or raised positions under these conditions. The signal thus given is at a point considerably before the elevator reaches the signaled floor to give the elevator operator sufficient time to stop the fast moving elevator for the signaled floor. If the elevator has stopped at the second floor away from the signaled floor and is running at intermediate speed when approaching the signaled floor, the relay 86 is maintained up but the relay 88 is unoperated so that the signal is given through the selector unit 12 and the operator is advised a sufficient distance before reaching the floor that he is to stop for that floor. This distance is necessarily shorter than the distance required for high speed elevator operation. If the elevator should have stopped one floor away from the signaled landing the elevator will receive the signal even before it starts away from the floor at which it is standing, so that the operator will be advised to stop at the next floor. When the elevator approaches and stops at any floor the hall lantern for that floor for that elevator is automatically lighted. When the elevator is stopped at any landing one of the brushes of the restoring unit 10 of the selector is on the segment correspondto the floor at which the elevator has stopped. When the operator opens the car gate the restoring switch 128 is permitted to close and the hall n hbuttomsot mechanism is restored through i. e actuation of the restoring coil '72 for that particular floor. 7

Substantially the same operation takes place when any pushbutton in the car is actuated so that it ed unnecessary to describe this operation in detail. One difference between the hall pushbutton-set mechanism and the elevator prrshsuttowset mechanism is that the elevator pushbutton-set mechanism 142 is restored uniformly to its inoperative condition during elevator travel whereas the hall pushbutton-set mechanism requires the previous opening of the car door or gate.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. In an elevator signaling apparatus, a signal, push button mechanism for setting said signal, a selector comprising a plurality of sets of floor segments and brushes cooperating with each set of segments to engage the same, and means incident to the normal operation of the elevator in starting and stopping for selectively rendering one of said sets of segments operative and the other sets inoperative to actuate said signal when the same has been set.

2. In an elevator signaling system, a signal, push buttor mechanism for setting said signal, a selector comprising a plurality of sets of contacts for operating said signal, one set for slow speed elevator travel, a second set for intermediate speed and a third set for high speed, a traveler moved in synchronism with the elevator and including brushes cooperating with each of said sets of contacts, and means for selectively rendering any one of said sets of contacts and cooperating brushes eifective for operating said signal when the same has been set, said means operating during acceleration of the elevator to cause first the slow speed set then the intermediate speed set and finally the high speed set to become effective for operating said signal.

3. In an elevator signaling system, an electrically actuated signal, push button mechanism for setting said signal, a selector comprising a plurality of units each including a feed strip and a series of floor segments, brushes moved correspondingly with the car and engageable with said strips and segments for bridging the same, conductors for completing the circuit from any of said units to said signal, and means dependent on the speed of the elevator for selectively sup-g plying electric current to the feed strip of any one of said units.

4. In an elevator signaling system, an elevator hoisting motor, an electrically actuated signal, push button mechanism for setting said signal, a selector comprising a plurality of units each including a feed strip and a series of floor segments, brushes moved correspondingly with the car and engageable with said strips and segments for bridging the same and conductors for completing the circuit from any of said units to said signal, and means responsive to the counter-electromotive force of said hoisting motor for selectiveiy supplying electric current to the feed strip or" any one of said units.

5. In an elevator signaling system, elevator hoisting mechanism, an electrically actuated signaling device in the elevator car, a selector comprising a plurality of sets of floor segments and travelers cooperating with each set and moved in synchronism with the elevator car for compieting circuits for said signal device at the various sets of segments, means incident to the normal operation of the elevator in starting and stoppin for automatically and selectively rendering certain sets of said segments effective and other sets inefiective to actuate said signaling device, and pushbuttons and mechanism operat ed thereby for preparing signaling-device circuits to said segments.

6. In an elevator signaling system, electrically actuated signaling devices, a plurality of manually operated circuit closers, one for each of several floors, a selector provided with a plurality of units, each unit including a series of floor segments, one for each of said floors, means for electrically connecting a corresponding segment of. each selector unit to the circuit closer for the corresponding floor, a traveler including a traveling conductor for each unit moved correspondingly with the elevator and engageable successively with the floor segments of said unit, and m ans incident to the normal operation of the elevator in stopping and starting for selectively supplying current to one or another of said units for actuating said signaling devices.

7. In an elevator signaling system, electrically actuated signaling devices, a plurality of manually operated circuit closers, one for each of several floors, a selector provided with a plurality of units, each unit including a series of floor segments, one for each of said floors, means for electrically connecting a corresponding segment of each elevator unit to the circuit closer for the corresponding floor, a feed strip corresponding to each unit, a traveler including a traveling conductor for each unit moved correspondingly with the elevator and engageable successively with the floor segments of said unit and a traveling conductor in engagement with the feed strip of each of said units and arranged in electrical conducting relation to said first-named traveling conductor, and means controlled by the speed of operation of said elevator for selectively supplying current to the feed strip of any one of said units.

8. In an elevator signaling system, a signal, a selector comprising a plurality of sets of contacts for operating said signal. one set for slow speed elevator travel. a second set for intermediate speed and a third set for high speed, a traveler moved in synchronism with the elevator and including brushes cooperating with each of said sets of contacts, means for adjusting the position of said brushes on said traveler longitudinally of the sets of contacts of each set, and means for successively rendering said contacts and their cooperating brushes effective to actuate said signal during the acceleration of said elevat-or in its travel.

9. In a signaling system for an elevator car serving a plurality of floors; a plurality of switches, one for each of said floors: a car signal upon the car; means for causing the operation of said car signal in response to any operated switch when the car, in approaching the floor for which a switch has been operated, is traveling in a given zone at a certain distance from such floor at a speed not les than a certain predetermined value; and means effective to delay the operation of said car signal in the event the car is traveling in said zone at a speed less than said certain predetermined value, until the car travels in a second zone, nearer to such floor than said first zone.

10. In a signaling system for an elevator car;

an elevator signal; a switch for a floor served by said car effective, when operated, to prepare a portion of an operating circuit for said signal; a plurality of parallel circuits in said signal oper ating circuit, each normally open-circuited; commutating equipment operable in accordance with the travel of said car for completing each of said plurality of parallel circuits successively, at different distances from said floor; switching mecl1- anism operable to render any one of said parallel circuits eifective as part of the signal operating circuit to the exclusion of all other of said parallel circuits; and means responsive to the speed of the elevator car for operating said switching mechanism so that when the speed of the elevator car is within a given range one of said parallel circuits, whose circuit is completed by said commutating equipment at a predetermined distance from said floor, is rendered effective, and so that when the speed of the elevator car is below said given range another one of said parallel circuits, whose circuit is completed by said commutating equipment at a distance less than said predetermined distance from said floor, is rendered effective.

11. In a high speed elevator system; an elevator car serving a plurality of floors; a plurality of witches, one for each of said floors; a car signal upon said car; switching equipment operable in accordance with the travel of said car for causing the operation of said car signal in response to any operated switch when said car is approaching the floor corresponding to the switch operated and is at either one of two distances from such floor; and selecting means, effective in the event that the switch for each of two adjacent floors is operated and that said car is approaching the first of said two adjacent floors at substantially full speed, for causing said switching equipment to effect the operation of said car signal in response to the operation of the switch for said first of said two adjacent floors when said car is approaching said first of said two adjacent floors and is at the greater of said two distances therefrom, and effective, in the event said car stops at said first of said adjacent floors, for causing said switching equipment to effect the operation of said car signal in response to the operation of the switch for said second of said two adjacent floors when the car is at the lesser of said two distances from said second of said two adjacent floors.

12. In a signaling system for an elevator car serving a plurality of floors, a plurality of switches. one for each of said floors: a car signal upon said car; mechanism movable in accordance with the travel of said car in the elevator hatchway; means operable by said mechanism to cause the operation of said car signal in response to any operated switch when said car is located opposite the door immediately preceding the floor for which such a switch is operated; and means for rendering said first-named means ineffective in the event said car passes such preceding floor at a speed greater than a predetermined slow speed.

13. In an elevator signaling system having up 6 y. no

and down signals at each of a plurality of floors served by the elevator car; a source of electrical energy; circuits connecting said hall signals to said source for energization thereby, each of said circuits comprising a portion individual to one of said hall signals and a feed portion common to all of said hall signals, each of said portions individual to a hall signal having only one break therein; means responsive to the position and direction of movement of said car for closing said hall signal circuits at the breaks individual to each hall signal so that the portion of the hall signal circuit individual to each hall signal is completed when said car, traveling in the appropriate direction, nears, and is opposite, the floor for which such hall signal is provided; and means, operable under conditions when a stop is made by the car at any of said floors from its normal full speed, to energize continuously the appropriate hall signal at the floor at which such a stop is made for a substantial and uniform period prior to the car becoming stationary opposite such floor regardless of whether such stop is to let off or take on a passenger, and then, without interruption to the energization of such hall signal, to maintain such hall signal energized while the car is stationary opposite such floor, said means comprising, switching equipment in the feed portion of said circuits normally breaking such feed portion while the car is travcling at normal full speed, and mechanism, actuated as an incident in reducing the speed of the car from normal full speed to a somewhat slower speed in the process of stopping the car at such floor, for causing said switching equipment to complete said feed portion of said circuits for the hall signals and to maintain such feed portion completed without interruption until the occurrence of an incident in the starting of the car away from such floor.

14. In an elevator signaling system; an elevator car serving a plurality of floors; hoisting equipment for said car; a plurality of up and down hall signals for said car, one up and one down signal for each of said floors; a source of electrical energy; circuits connecting said hall signals to said source for energization thereby, said hall signal circuits having only one break in each circuit individual to each hall signal, and having only one additional break, said additional break being in a feed circuit common to all said hall signals; means responsive to the position and direction of movement of said car for closing said hall signal circuits at the breaks individual to each hall signal so that the portion of the hall signal circuit individual to each hall signal is completed when said car, traveling in the appropriate direction, nears, and is opposite, the floor for which such hall signal is provided; and means incident to a slight reduction in the speed of said car from normal full speed as said hoisting mechanism is operated to slow down and stop said car opposite a floor, for closing, and maintaining closed, said break in the hall signal circuit common to all of said hall signals during the slow down of said car from such slightly less than normal full speed and while said car is stationary opposite such floor,

and for reestablishing said break in the hall signal circuit common to all of said hall signals after said car leaves such floor, whereby the appropriate hall signal is given continuously, whenever the car stops at a floor during the slow down period and while the car remains at that floor. CLIFFORD NORTON. PHILIP KARMEL. 

